Solutions
Media and Entertainment | September 14, 2023
Entertainment technology industry leader IMAX Corporation® (NYSE: IMAX) and PFT, the creator of AI-powered technology solutions for the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, today announced plans to expand their strategic relationship beyond theatrical and into the streaming ecosystem.
Under the arrangement, IMAX will expand access to its Stream Smart™ technology to PFT customers across Europe, Asia, and Australia. The expanded partnership will dramatically increase the global availability of Stream Smart™, which helps streaming platforms deliver maximum picture quality while significantly reducing distribution and storage costs.
"We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with IMAX, an industry trailblazer with a remarkable legacy of revolutionizing the global entertainment industry," said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, Global CEO of PFT. "For over a decade, CLEAR®, our flagship product, has spearheaded digital packaging and delivery services for prominent streaming platforms worldwide. CLEAR® & Stream Smart will help optimize our customers' encoding pipeline, so they deliver better streaming quality while optimizing CDN & storage costs."
"Many of Hollywood's biggest streaming platforms use Stream Smart™ to ensure quality and reduce costs, and we're excited to work with our partners at PFT to extend the reach of our technologies throughout key markets in Europe, Asia, and Australia," said Vikram Arumilli, General Manager of Streaming and Consumer Technology at IMAX. "Our suite of streaming technology products, including Stream Smart™, provides a best-in-class service for direct-to-consumer broadcast and streaming companies, and PFT's' ability to leverage this for their customers is a win-win for both organizations."
PFT and its parent company, DNEG, are industry leaders providing a full suite of technology and creative solutions, including IMAX post-production and 3D mastering.
IMAX and DNEG joined forces in 2022 for post-production, which included Indian films like Jawan, Pathaan, and RRR. This extended partnership will build upon the established theatrical relationship between IMAX and DNEG to develop a comprehensive video optimization solution. Stream Smart™ is an enterprise software product designed to deliver the best image quality and optimize delivery to unlock cost savings. This product was built from cutting-edge scientific advancements, state-of-the-art engineering, trusted studio relationships, and rooted in a real-world at-scale Emmy®-winning collaboration with Disney Streaming Services and SSIMWAVE.
Stream Smart™ will be the centerpiece of the IMAX showcase at IBC 2023. Sign up to meet with PFT and IMAX Streaming & Consumer Technology group at IBC:
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of June 30, 2023, there were 1,718 IMAX systems (1,638 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 68 institutional) operating in 87 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970."
About Prime Focus Technologies
Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is the creator of CLEAR® and CLEAR® AI. It offers streaming platforms, studios, and broadcasters transformational AI-led technology and media services powered by the cloud that help them lower their Total Cost of Operations (TCOP) by automating their content supply chain. PFT works with major companies like Walt Disney-owned Star TV, Channel 4, ITV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, A&E Networks, Warner Media, PBS, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Lionsgate, Showtime, HBO, NBCU, TERN International, Disney+ Hotstar, BCCI, Indian Premier League and more.
About DNEG
DNEG (www.dneg.com) is a world-leading visual entertainment services company for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content, with worldwide offices and studios across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
DNEG's critically acclaimed work has earned the company seven Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Current and upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Spy Kids Armageddon (September 2023), No One Will Save You (September 2023), The Gilded Age S2 (October 2023), Nyad (November 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 2023), Lift (January 2024), Dune: Part Two (March 2024), Mickey 17 (March 2024), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (April 2024), Garfield (May 2024), Borderlands (August 2024), Furiosa (2024), That Christmas, Coyote vs. Acme, The Gorge, and Animal Friends.
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Media and Broadcasting
Business Wire | October 10, 2023
Zynga Inc., a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that its studio, Socialpoint, launched Top Troops, a new mobile game that blends mobile strategy, RPG, and merge mechanics to create a thrilling medieval fantasy adventure of combat and conquest.
Top Troops transports players into the colorful Kingdom of King’s Bay as two feuding brothers lead their squads into colossal battles of good versus evil. Players are challenged to merge and battle their way to victory, utilizing endless combinations of strategies to create powerful squad-based armies. Each unit type, from Ninja Moles to Imperial Elves, can be leveled-up and combined strategically to create the perfect army for any challenge. Every choice that players make will determine the fate of their conquests.
“Top Troops is a bold new step into the merge-and-battle genre that combines the best of both worlds with strategic gameplay," said Akshay Bharadwaj, Head of Socialpoint. “We invite players to unleash their inner commander by building powerful empires and leading assassins, necromancer rats, and mermen into combat. With its innovative gameplay and colorful universe, Top Troops is sure to appeal to fans who want the fun and excitement of tactical conquests.”
“From the early days of our collaboration with Socialpoint to today’s launch, we are thrilled to finally bring Top Troops to life,” said Yaron Leyvand, Executive Vice President of Games at Zynga. “Top Troops is Socialpoint’s first worldwide launch under the Zynga label following our 2022 combination with Take-Two Interactive. Combining Zynga’s expertise and resources with Socialpoint’s success in mobile development and live operations, Top Troops will help to usher in a new phase of growth for our partner studio. This is just the beginning of what’s possible when you bring together the best minds from both teams to create a dynamic and vibrant game.”
Game Features:
Build your army: Merge and level-up your troops to grow and upgrade your units;
Dominate your enemy: Lead your army into epic, massive battles where strategy and power win the day;
Save the kingdom: Reclaim lost land where you can train, interact with your troops, and farm resources for further expansion;
Strategize your victory: Master deck building strategies to create the strongest army for varied foes;
Game Modes: Campaign and Player vs. Player.
About Zynga
Zynga is a global leader in interactive entertainment with a mission to connect the world through games and a wholly-owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. With a massive global reach in more than 175 countries and regions, the combined diverse portfolio of popular game franchises has been downloaded more than 6 billion times on mobile, including CSR Racing™, Dragon City™, Empires & Puzzles™, FarmVille™, Golf Rival™, Hair Challenge™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, High Heels!™, Merge Dragons!™, Merge Magic!™, Monster Legends™, Toon Blast™, Top Eleven™, Toy Blast™, Two Dots™, Words With Friends™, and Zynga Poker™. Zynga is also an industry-leading next-generation platform with the ability to optimize programmatic advertising and yields at scale with Chartboost, a leading mobile advertising and monetization platform. Founded in 2007, Zynga is headquartered in California with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia.
About Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops, operates, and publishes products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and Zynga. Our products are currently designed for console gaming systems, PC, and mobile, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO.
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Technologies
Business Wire | October 03, 2023
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, announces its strategic acquisition of AcceleratXR, a provider of in-game server backend technology designed for live service games and software. The AcceleratXR platform and network engine offer robust scalability, supporting experiences across multiple platforms and devices. It functions similarly to an operating system optimized for modern interactive digital content.
AcceleratXR technology equips development teams—regardless of size or skill level—to create cutting-edge online and multiplayer experiences on a grand scale. Boasting more than 20 specialized systems, such as live cloud scripting, AcceleratXR is the most flexible and feature-packed platform for developing games, digital entertainment, the metaverse, and more.
This acquisition underscores a transformative shift towards marketing comprehensive cross-play and cross-pay solutions available out of the box, allowing players to maintain their identity and access their purchase history across any platform they want to play on - PC, web, console, mobile, and VR.
"Today, we welcome AcceleratXR, a significant new addition to the Xsolla game tech family," said Chris Hewish, CEO of Xsolla. "AcceleratXR brings robust game server backend technology capable of catering to various platforms - from web to PC to console to mobile. It marks a promising stride in our journey to redefine cross-play technology."
"We're thrilled about the acquisition by Xsolla, as it supercharges our core mission of making game development tools accessible to all and enhancing social experiences within gaming communities," said Jean-Philippe Steinmetz, Co-Founder of AcceleratXR. "This momentous step forward presents promising opportunities to reshape the global gaming industry."
About Xsolla
Xsolla is a global video game commerce company with a robust and powerful set of tools and services designed specifically for the video game industry. Since its founding in 2005, Xsolla has helped thousands of game developers and publishers of all sizes fund, market, launch and monetize their games globally and across multiple platforms. As an innovative leader in game commerce, Xsolla’s mission is to solve the inherent complexities of global distribution, marketing, and monetization to help our partners reach more geographies, generate more revenue and create relationships with gamers worldwide. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, with offices in Berlin, Seoul, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and cities around the world, Xsolla supports major gaming titles like Valve, Twitch, Roblox, Ubisoft, Epic Games, Take-Two, KRAFTON, Nexters, NetEase, Playstudios, Playrix, miHoYo, and more.
About AcceleratXR
AcceleratXR is a versatile solution for game developers aiming to craft cross-platform games and applications. It covers the broad spectrum of gaming platforms from console, PC, and mobile, to VR environments. By enhancing seamless connections between these diverse gaming interfaces, AcceleratXR significantly reduces development time and cost, enabling game developers to deploy large-scale, cross-platform games more effectively.
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Solutions
KOCOWA | September 28, 2023
KOCOWA+, the premier destination for Korean entertainment in the Americas, is launching a groundbreaking AI-driven search feature designed to revolutionize how users engage with their content. KOCOWA+’s game-changing use of KeyTalk AI technology promises to reshape the entertainment landscape by giving viewers unprecedented intuitive, personalized, and engaging content recommendations.
KOCOWA+ – A Trailblazer in AI-Driven Entertainment Discovery
KOCOWA+ has always been committed to maintaining its status as the ultimate destination for Korean entertainment. In a bold move, KOCOWA+ has embraced AI technology to optimize its metadata and broaden its reach, making it more efficient in delivering search results that deliver precisely what consumers desire across multiple languages and platforms. This leap into AI aims to help audiences across the globe find the Korean content they crave based on thousands of intuitive, multi-language, and context-aware metadata touchpoints.
"KOCOWA+ is taking a giant step forward in providing our audience with a deeply personalized entertainment experience. We're moving beyond basic recommendations and are excited to offer our users a level of engagement and discovery that goes far beyond the ordinary," said KunHee Park, CEO at KOCOWA+.
KOCOWA+'s AI-Driven Data Transformation
KOCOWA+ leads the industry as the first platform with AI-driven data transformation, enhancing viewer experiences across multiple touchpoints and languages. This move strengthens KOCOWA+’s strong technology backbone, which already enables KOCOWA+ to translate new K-Dramas, K-Pop performances, and other shows into three (soon to be five) languages within hours of their original airings in Seoul and make them available across the globe for consumption.
Setting KOCOWA+ Apart
This new feature marks a significant milestone in all content streaming and K-pop, Drama, Variety, and Movies, opening a realm of exploration and discovery for fans. KOCOWA+ has partnered with KeyTalk AI, innovators at the forefront of prompt engineering and AI transformation solutions, like the Mycelebs Star App, Maimovie, and Glamai.
Unlocking the Power of AI
Leveraging KeyTalk AI's platform, Mycelebs Star, a deep entertainment search source, users can now search differently. Instead of seeking "shows like Running Man," they can describe their preferences in natural language, leading to more delightful discoveries. This innovative approach enhances the user experience, allowing for more meaningful content exploration.
KOCOWA+ is poised to reshape the entertainment discovery landscape, making it more personalized, engaging, and accessible than ever before, just in time for viewers to discover their new fall lineup and visit some of their new classic horror movies like Train to Busan and The Wailing just in time for Halloween!
About wA and KOCOWA+:
wA is a global joint company between wavve, SK Square Americas, and the top Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, & SBS. wA launched KOCOWA+, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas, in 2017, with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. KOCOWA+ provides a robust lineup of over 25,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Movies, Reality, and K-Pop content in multiple languages on its direct platform.
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